Infant colic: where is the line between norm and pathology, the role of disruption of the intestinal microbiome

Abstract

Infant colic is one of the most common functional disorders of the gastrointestinal tract in children of the first year of life, worsening the condition of both the child himself and the psychological climate in the family. Infant intestinal colic is a multifactorial symptom complex that requires differential diagnosis between norm and pathology. Until now, there is no clear understanding of the criteria for the need for dietary and drug correction of this condition. The article presents an analysis of the modern literature on the problem of intestinal colic in infants The pathogenesis of functional intestinal colic is determined by a combination of reasons, including the immaturity of the central nervous system, hypothalamic-pituitary system, regulation of the intestinal innervation and the enzymatic system, a certain dependence on psychosocial factors has also been identified, the intestinal microflora has a great influence. H. Kianifar et al. (2014) in the findings of a study noted that a multiprobiotic (seven strains of probiotics and fructooligosaccharides) significantly improved colic symptoms, in particular a reduction in crying time, (82.6%) compared with placebo (35.7%) on day 7 of intake (p < 0.005). On day 30, treatment success was 87% and 46% in the synbiotics and placebo groups, respectively (p < 0.01). The results of a domestic study by I.N. Zakharova et al. (2016) multiprobiotic, which showed that after the use of a multistrain probiotic, intestinal colic remained in 3 (10%) children of the main group and in all children in the placebo group. After taking the probiotic, 80% of children showed normalization of stool, and in the placebo group, stool disorders (loose, watery stools or no stool with the need to empty after an enema) were recorded in 87% of children. Cases from clinical practice with experience of using a multistrain probiotic for colic are shown.